Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-08-30
TuE EASTERN SHORE.
Accomack and Northampton Con.
yeDtfons-A Rafircad Dis
elimination Against those

Farmers.
Correspondence Of the Richmond Dispatch.l
ONAxcocK, August 81, 1887.
The Democrats OF Northampton will
hold q convention next Wednesday the
3lst instant TO nominate foater dele
gate from Accomack and Northampton
in the General Assembly. Hon. S. s.
wilkins, the present Incumbent, is
candidate for reelection, and the
friends OF DIR. Austin Brockenbrough
will press his claims, though it is known
the Doctor does not desire to be can
didate, but will accept if nominated.
The Eastern Shore Agricultural Fair
will begin near Keller station ON the
Both instant and continue through four
days.
Seven years ago the Onancock East
ern Virginian was the only newspaper
published on the Eastern Shore of vir-
ginia. Now there are five-two in Ac-
comack and three in Northampton.
Two are stoutly Democratic, the others
Independent. OF these five papers two
ale published at the growing and en-
terprising young town of Cape Charles
City, as its denizens proudly call it.
These seven years have been marked
by great material progress and pros
pority on the Eastern Shsre. Within
that time railroad and telegraph line
has been built down the Peninsula,
opening up this fruitful section and
bringing it in close connection with the
great eastern markets and the rest of
The world. This has tended greatly to
wake the people up, improve the me-
thods of cultivation, and diversity the
crops. In the opinion of many people,
however, the railroad has not been an
unmixed blessing. Many complaints
are heard against the New York, Phila-
delphia and Norfolk railroad on account
of the discriminating freight rates
charged the people of this section for
shipping produce to Philadelphia, New
York. Boston, and other northern cities.
Some time in June the Accomack
truckers and fruit-growers appointed
committee to lay their grievances be-
fore the Interstate Commerce Com
mission, but as yet nothing has been
accomplished, and the shipping season
is fairly over. 1t is a notorious fact
that this railroad charges the farmers
on the Eastern Shore of Virginia and
Maryland, and even in Delaware, twice
as much for carrying potatoes to New
York as is charged from Norfolk and
other points south of us. The Eastern
Shore Herald, whose editor has made
a careful examination of this matter,
publishes the following:
"In Delaware the farmers are or
ganizing and will soon be ready to
show their teeth. Every farmer knows
that Norfolk truck is carried to the
eastern markets over the New York,
Philadelphia and Norfolk railroad for
about one half the rates charged from
Peninsula points, and that the Norfolk
freight is carried through and reaches
the market invariably on time, while
the trains carrying Peninsula truck are
'wild-catted' along on a happy-go-
lucky, get here-some-time schedule.
MIR. Charles II. Register, who is
in the produce and commission bust
ness in New York, says that to his GER
tain knowledge there was not single
arrival of Peninsula fruit or truck
train in New York or Jersey City or
Newark during the month OF July on
time. They were all from one to nine
hours late and not in single instance
were the Norfolk truck trains delayed
one hour"
1t would seem that there ought to be
some relief for the people from such
unjust discrimination. If some relief
does not come, and that very soon, the
people will demand to know the rea-
son why.
ACCcNACK CONVENTION.
TAsLEY, VA, August 29.-The Demo
Gratis of Accomack held a mass-meeting
at the Courthouse to-day and voted in
favor of convention TO nominate a
candidate for the House of Delegates.
The delegates already appointed to the
Joint convention to nominate tloater
delegate for Accomack and Northamp-
ton were empowered to nominate the
deleoate from AccOmack also,